Live Aid: 25 years ago today

It’s been a quarter-century since Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof put together what has been, in hindsight, the most extensive multi-continental benefit concert to date, Live Aid.

Taking place simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in England and at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia (with crowds of 72,000 and 99,000 respectively), Live Aid was beamed to more than 1.5 billion people in 160 countries, making it the largest broadcast in history. It’s estimated that, in an era when cable television was new and channels were counted in dozens rather than hundreds, rough 95 percent of televisions around the world were tuned in to the Live Aid broadcast at some point.

Constructed by Geldof to raise money for famine relief in Africa, more than 22,000 pledges were made within five minutes of the Beach Boys taking the stage in Philly.

Simulcast in sync on broadcast TV, Queen opened it up with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” while David Bowie and Mick Jagger and David Bowie fashioned a video featuring “Dancing in the Street,” that was shown on the screens of both stadiums and also broadcast on TV.

Before singing “Amazing Grace,” Joan Baez told the Live Aid audience worldwide that “this is your Woodstock, and it’s long overdue.”

Where money is concerned, as part of human nature and in any context, it seems controversy always ensues. Watching CNN on July 12, Anderson Cooper was in Haiti, addressing questions about the distribution of funds raised to help relief to the people of Haiti after the devastating earthquake six months ago. Issues have been raised about money allegedly being funneled into the hands of government and never making it to the people, making the act of helping others a sort of hope-and-prayer proposition of whether donations are getting where they’re intended to go.

With Live Aid, as well as charity concerts spawned in the 25 years between then and now, it’s always been a mixed bag of charity vs. greed, caring as opposed to apathy, and giving vs. refrain. In spite of raising more than $285 million dollars, the Live Aid funds are still encountering difficulties to date. In fact, Live Aid monies are still snagged in the relief operations to distribute funds to the hardest hit areas, like Ethiopia and the Sudan.

But I digress. The bottom line in celebrating the grandness of today’s 25-year anniversary and as an understatment of grand proportions, Live Aid was a presentation of the ultimate rock-and-roll legends of all time.

One highlight had to be the bi-continental appearances made by Phil Collins. Starting out in England with an afternoon performance, this Genesis frontman boarded the Concorde and made the trans-Atlantic flight to play at in Philadelphia. As always, both performances were impeccable, as Collins played solo at a grand piano center stage.

This 16-hour music extravaganza showcased performances from, among others, Madonna, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Tina Turner, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Hall and Oates, Howard Jones, Duran Duran, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and Queen. It also hosted the reunion of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. Live Aid was a legendary musical event for people around the world.